Visit to Earthship Fife
written by Olga Bloemen on February 3, 2011
Join the Big Green Makeover on a trip to the Earthship Fife Visitor Centre in Kinghorn, Scotland’s first Earthship, and indeed the first in the UK!Dan Glass on the UK climate movement
written by Olga Bloemen on February 2, 2011
Climate activist Dan Glass is famous/notorious for super-glueing himself to Gordon Brown more than two years ago, when collecting an award for his Plane Stupid work. He wanted to make the premier “stick to his environmental promises” (see: BBC). Despite a month of intense practise on his housemate, Dan and Gordon were only glued together for about 30 seconds… Luckily his message stuck around for longer.
Climate Activist Dan Glass was in Edinburgh last October to give a workshop as part of Cineco Film Festival’s rough cut screening of Just Do It (see photo) , a crowd-funded documentary on UK climate activism. Read on for the belated transcript of the interview I had with Dan.
Come visit Whitmuir Farm!
written by Abby Nicol on February 1, 2011
On Saturday the 12th of February
we’ll be heading over to Whitmuir Farm. Come visit the home of the Veg Bag vegetables! We’ll be touring the farm and lending a hand replanting their willow hedge.
This trip is now full.
What happened at ‘How Green Is Your Organisation?’
written by Caro Overy on January 31, 2011
On 20th January people gathered together at the Business School in the main auditorium for a collaborative event between Transition Edinburgh University and Business Society. We found out about the ways that a couple of local organisations are working to be as sustainable as possible, and their plans for the future.
The featured speakers were Dominic Marjoram from Vegware, a company that produces and sells compostable food packaging and catering disposables, and Ryan Paschke from CORE, the Cyrenians Organics Recycling Enterprise, who collect and recycle organic waste around Edinburgh and the Lothians. We watched a video sent by Waste Innovations, a company that makes high quality products out of waste. We also heard from Alastair Girvan, the General Manager of Central Taxis about the specific challenges that Central Taxis face in reducing their environmental impact.
There was a thorough and interesting question and answer session, chaired by Mary Ho, a lecturer in the Business School who specialises in social and charities marketing.
Overall, the event provided an opportunity for students, staff, and people involved in business, to examine the challenges that businesses face. It raised the importance of sustainable business practice and gave everybody a chance to think about how businesses can take meaningful action on climate change.
Fairtrade Cafe / Big Green Makeover event raises £90 for Practical Action
written by Sion Lanini on January 20, 2011
Last week, Fairtrade Cafe joined forces with the Big Green Makeover project to raise £90 for Practical Action to support their practical community-based projects!
Fairtrade Cafe cooked a tasty curried potato soup to fill people’s tummies and the Big Green Makeover hosted an Energy Saving Advice Clinic to help students save energy and money on their bills.
Practical Action provide small loans and technical support for communities to set up small-scale renewable energy projects. For more information, please check out the Practical Action website.
*Fairtrade Cafe serves delicious home-made soup every Wednesday from 12.30-1.30 in the Chaplaincy. You can find a list of upcoming Energy Saving Advice Clinics in the Big Green Makeover section.
Learn, share, inspire: Carbon Conversations groups this semester
written by Rosie Sullivan on January 18, 2011
Grab your place on a series of group discussions designed to make a difference…
How Green Is Your Organisation?
written by Caro Overy on January 12, 2011
With carbon emission reduction targets to be met and the future of fossil fuelled energy uncertain, it is vital that our business practices evolve to meet the challenges of our time.
On 20th January Business Society and Transition Edinburgh University invite you to find out about the green credentials of local businesses operating in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Starting at 7.30pm, short presentations from each business about their environmental practices will be followed by an opportunity for questions.
The event will include a drinks reception and is open to students, staff and anyone interested from the local community.
Have you got a bright idea?
written by Sion Lanini on January 11, 2011
How can energy companies respond to the energy crisis and the necessary transition to a lower carbon, more resilient economy and way of life?
Photo by n2teaching
That’s the question posed by nPower as part of their Energy Challenge 2011 inter-university competition.
They’re inviting students from the UK, Netherlands and Germany who are in their penultimate or final year of study to share their ideas of how energy companies can meet climate change targets, maintain security of supply and keep energy bills affordable for households.
More information about the competition can be found on the Energy Challenge website. Do let us know if you participate!
Winner of the Travel Pledge prize draw
written by Orla Shortall on
Transition Edinburgh University are delighted to announce that Bridget Holtom is the winner of our Travel Pledge prize draw. She wins two nights accommodation for four people in a Swedish Kata at the award winning Comrie Croft hostel, eco-camping, group accommodation and Swedish Kata destination, on the edge of the highlands, just one hour from Edinburgh.If you want to lower the carbon footprint of your travel and need some help finding the easiest and cheapest ways to do it, then sign up to the travel pledge and become part of a growing community at the University exporing low-impact ways of getting around. We’ll help you lower your travel emissions by giving you loads of travel tips and we’ll send you your own personalised Infrequent Flyer’s Pocket Companion! And there will be more fantastic prize draws to come in the New Year for those who sign up.
In the mean time, from Ben, Orla and Justina on the travel team have a great and well travelled Christmas!
Transition Community Gathering
written by Irina Nedelcu on January 10, 2011
This Happy New Year takes off with Transition Community Gathering, this Thursday, 13th January, at 6:00pm, in the Loft Bar, Teviot.
